So I guess the only option is the waiting for 3 millennia for the ARRL "Bureau" option..meaning a person will probably be dead by the time that big, first contact in that country QSL arrives...(if it ever does)..so much for the fun of QSLing...Geesh..

Quit being such a kill-joy. The Bureau runs very well. You can always just go the direct route and everyone will take greenstamps (that's Bureau lingo for dollar bills) but if you work lots of DX, then the costs can build quick. Now if you only work DX with stateside QSL managers, then this is the fastest and least costly option, since you only have to mail a domestic envelope and only include a SASE (self addressed stamped envelope).

You may not have heard this yet, but working the DX is the easiest part; getting the QSL card can be harder to do. It's all part of the fun of DX and QSLing. But you'll be jumping for joy when that desired card does hit your door.

I've been licensed pretty close to 50 years, and getting DX QSL cards still takes about the same amount of time. When I started working countries I'd only seen on maps, certainly I wanted the card, but air mail was the fastest thing available, and it only traveled at a finite speed. Some DX had stateside QSL managers; others specified "via buro". Some QSLs took 18-24 months to arrive...but they finally DID arrive. YI1BGD's card showed up DIRECT, postmarked Baghdad, after I'd sent mine via ARRL!

And the only thing about the whole process that's changed significantly in half a century is the amount of patience we seem to have - or not have.

I'll throw in my $.02 as the 5G sorter. Even if you don't want to respond to bureau cards, maintain an envelope or two on file with your local organization. Even though you might not want them, we still have to sort them! Don't leave it to me to filter your trash for you or make your decisions. At best it's impolite, considering we're all voluteers. The other option is to tell all your QSO's to qsl direct only, or stop working DX. All your doing is increasing the amount of time it takes for those who do want them to get their cards.

"Well..I just checked with the Post Office..(the 800 number)..I was told IRCs being discontinued Jan 07...So I guess the only option is the waiting for 3 millennia for the ARRL "Bureau" option..meaning a person will probably be dead by the time that big, first contact in that country QSL arrives...(if it ever does)..so much for the fun of QSLing...Geesh.. "

They must have misunderstood your question. IRCs are not being discontinued. The current version is being discontinued and new ones being issued. The current ones will no longer be valid as of Dec. 31, 2006.

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